Santo Domingo Pueblo

Water Resources Department

                                                   
                                                   
Annual Drinking Water Quality Report    
                                                   
Is my water safe?
We are pleased to present this year’s Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year’s water quality. We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies.
                                                   
Do I need to take special precautions?
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800-426-4791).
                                                   
Where does my water come from?
Groundwater from the Rio Grande Alluvial aquifer is the primary source of drinking water for the Santo Domingo Pueblo. A second well was drilled in 2013 and connected to the water system in 2014. Both wells are approximately 1000 feet deep and are east of I-25. These wells connect to one pumphouse for treatment and distribution. The disinfectant sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) is injected into the water prior to entering the distribution system.
                                                   
Source water assessment and its availability
Then Environmental Protection Agency performed an assessment of our source water in January of 2010. A source water assessment identifies potential sources of contamination to the drinking water. The assessment was unable to find any potential sources of contamination, but our aquifer is considered highly susceptible to contamination because it’s composed of unconsolidated sand and gravel, buried alluvial valleys, alluvial terraces, and is active. Please contact us at 505-465-0055 for more information on the assessment.
                                                   
 
Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?

 

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells.  As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity:
microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses; organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.  In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

                                                   
How can I get involved?
The Santo Domingo Tribal Utilities Department participates in the resource fairs throughout the year and advertises meetings and provides information via mailings and the tribal newsletter.
                                                   
Additional Information for Lead
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Santo Domingo Pueblo is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                   
Water Quality Data Table    
                                                   
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old.  In this table you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you.  To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions below the table.
                                                   
  MCLG MCL,          
  or TT, or Your Range Sample    
Contaminants MRDLG MRDL Water Low High Date Violation Typical Source
Disinfectants & Disinfectant By-Products  
(There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants)  
                                                   
Chlorine (as Cl2) (ppm) 4 4 1.73 0.04 1.73 2014 No Water additive used to control microbes  
TTHMs [Total Trihalomethanes] (ppb) NA 80 6.39 ND 6.39 2014 No By-product of drinking water disinfection  
                                                   
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (ppb) NA 60 1.74 ND 1.74 2014 No By-product of drinking water chlorination  
                                                   
Inorganic Contaminants  
                                                   
Copper – source water (mg/L)   0.08 0.08(MPL) NA   2014 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits  
Lead – source water (ug/L)   2 2(MPL) NA   2014 No Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits  
Microbiological Contaminants  
                                                   
Total Coliform (positive samples/month) 0 1 0 NA   2014 No Naturally present in the environment  
   

 

 

                                                   
Undetected Contaminants    
                                                   
The following contaminants were monitored for, but not detected, in your water.
                                                   
  MCLG MCL        
  or or Your      
Contaminants MRDLG MRDL Water Violation Typical Source  
                                                   
Nitrate [measured as Nitrogen] (ppm) 10 10 ND No Runoff from fertilizer use; Leaching from septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits  
                                                   
Unit Descriptions  
                                                   
Term Definition  
ppm ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)  
                                                   
ppb ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/L)  
                                                   
positive samples/month positive samples/month: Number of samples taken monthly that were found to be positive  
                                                   
NA NA: not applicable  
                                                   
ND ND: Not detected  
                                                   
NR NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended.  
                                                   
Important Drinking Water Definitions  
                                                   
Term Definition  
MCLG MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.  
MCL MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.  
TT TT: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.  
AL AL: Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.  
Variances and Exemptions Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.  
MRDLG MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.  
MRDL MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level. The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.  
MNR MNR: Monitored Not Regulated  
MPL MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level  
                                                   
For more information please contact:  
                                                   
Contact Name: Steven Pajarito
Address: PO Box 70
Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM 87052
Phone: 505-465-0055
Fax: 505-465-0056
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: santodomingotribe.org